❉ ❉ ❉ Holiday volunteering in Iceland ❉ ❉ ❉

Published

10/26/2018

Duration

Short-Term (few weeks/months)

Address

ReykjavikCapital regionIceland

Description

From December 23, 2018 to January 2, 2019 volunteers from all over the world will live together and create a cosy atmosphere in the area of the volunteer and cultural centre in Reykjavik by putting up lights and Christmas decorations. The main idea of this project is to celebrate Christmas together and to promote peace and friendship among the group through intercultural learning and exchange. We will learn Christmas songs from all over the world from each other and weather permitting will sing in the streets of Reykjavik and other public places in town as a sign of peace and multiculturalism.

For New Year’s Eve we will organize a little party for the volunteers and we will enjoy Reykjavik´s spectacular fireworks in front of the cathedral. We will also arrange a visit to the ‘Imagine Peace Tower’ which was designed by Yoko Ono in memory of John Lennon. The tower is made-up of 15 large searchlights surrounded by a number of prisms that act like mirrors, reflecting the light vertically into the sky, usually reaching an altitude of at least 4000 meters. Over half a million written wishes that people from all over the world have sent to Yoko Ono as part of her ‘Wish Trees’ project are buried underneath the tower.

The volunteers will have free access to the local geothermally-heated swimming pools in Reykjavik. Traditionally, natural pools have played an important social role in Icelandic culture. Most Icelandic pools offer indoor and outdoor swimming, as well as hot tubs and saunas or steam rooms. On weekends, the central location of the accommodation is ideal for enjoying Reykjavik‘s amazing nightlife, which is world-renowned for its wide array of bars, clubs, and concerts.

Location: Reykjavik is a city full of energy, just waiting for you to experience it. Powered by heat from the earth below, with ever-changing weather sweeping across the landscape, its natural features are matched by the energy of its residents. Think of the qualities of a great city - fun, culture, nature, clean air - and Reykjavik has them in spades. All the advantages of a modern, forward-looking society are complemented by the beautiful natural setting. In a country of only just over 300,000 people, the Reykjavik Capital Area has a population of about 200,000. However, since it’s the only major city in the country, Reykjavik has a lot of the amenities that you would only expect to find in a much larger center elsewhere in the world.

Reykjavik is the world’s northernmost capital city and is centered on the Seltjarnarnes Peninsula. Come at the right time of year, and in favorable conditions you will see the city’s skyline silhouetted against the glowing, shimmering curtain of the aurora borealis, also known as the northern lights. Reykjavik is framed by the majestic Mt. Esja and the blue waters of Faxafloi Bay to the north, while rugged lava-fields spread to the southeast. On a clear sunny day, the Snaefellsjokull glacier glitters on the western horizon like a crystal.

In this time of the year when conditions are favorable you can see the Northern lights (Aurora borealis) glowing curtain of greenish yellow lights, dancing in the distance to a spectacular, multicolored fusion stretching across the sky.